Newbie, bottom of the barrel

[Stanleywho]

Hi All,

I've bottled my first batch of larger that came with the stater kit and hopefully every thing is fine, at least when bottling it tasted like beer!

What I would like to know before I do the next brew is what do you do with the stuff/gunk at the bottom of the FV after bottling?

Also after 2wks of fermenting most of the stuff/gunk settled to the bottom, should this be gently stirred back into the brew before bottling or not?

Thank you for any advise
Stanleywho

 

[bum]

What I would like to know before I do the next brew is what do you do with the stuff/gunk at the bottom of the FV after bottling?

The big breweries turn it into vegemite. You can learn to re-use it (this is for later, IMO) or just chuck it out in your preferred manner (do this for now).

Also after 2wks of fermenting most of the stuff/gunk settled to the bottom, should this be gently stirred back into the brew before bottling or not?

Absolutely not. People generally apply a fair amount of effort to make sure as much of that drops out as possible.

Welcome aboard.

 

[Stanleywho]

Thanks Burn,

Yes, I have to first learn how to make drinkable beer before trying anything else with the leftovers.

I did handle the FV very carefully at all times trying not to stir the sediment up, thought I was quite successful as brew seems quite clear in bottles, only slightly confused as LHBS said I should have some sediment in bottles for second fermentation.

Thanks and cheers

 

[yum beer]

Just to clarify, his name is B U M . you know like your arse...

Your bottles will develop some more sediment as they carb up.
Suspended yeast is what you need in the bottle for secondary fermentation and you will have enough of it left over.

 

[Stanleywho]

Just to clarify, his name is B U M . you know like your arse...

thanks yurn beer, obviously I need new reading glasses

 

[Camo6]

Oh you'll fit in just fine here Stan. Welcome aboard. And we can blame your glasses when people correct your other spelling mistake (and they will).

 

[Bribie G]

Just off to the Conmonwealth Bank, will post later.

 

[andy@67]

Welcome Stanleywho,

It is slippery slope you've started down.

You want as much sediment as possible to fall out of your beer, a lot of people crash chill (drop the temp to 2-3 C as quickly as possible) for a few days before bottling to help the sediment drop out of the beer.

Possibly the biggest improvement you can make to your brewing, especially for lager, is some sort of temperature control for the ferment. This can be as ghetto as the fermenter with a towel wrapped around it in a tub/ bath of water, the water wicks up the towel and evaporates cooling the fermenting wort. Or as complicated as a fermenting room made from cool room panels with a modified reverse cycle aircon. I use an old fridge with a temperature controller. The fridge had an internal freezer but the bottom and door of said freezer has been removed, so I can drop the temp inside the fridge to about -2C.

Camo6 if you are talking about the dreaded "r", I saw it but refuse to comment publically as I made the same error when I first started to post here.


Cheers,

Andrew.

Edit: iPhone keyboard vs big fingers!

 

[Stanleywho]

Thanks for the welcomes, finally my primary school teacher was right! you'll never get anywhere with bad spelling. I know there is no r in that beer, just getting excited waiting for that first proper taste of my first brew.

I have put down my second brew last Friday night (6 days ago) Tooheys Classic Dark Ale with yeast from under the lid and a brewblend packet of Dextrose 250g,LightDried Malt 500g & MaltoDextrin 250g (all as per HBS suggestion), I had a starting temp of 25C when pitched and a FG of 1040, all seems to have worked, you know, bubbles & foam etc., the temp most of the time has been 20C. I checked the SG tonight for the first time 1015 so will let it stand for a few more days before checking again.

I had a taste after testing and thought it was very "Thin" (seemed watery) for what I was expecting, any thoughts or suggestions

cheers all
Stanley

PZ. any speeling mistakes should be darected to soneome how kares.

 

[Yob]

Using those 'brew enhancer' packs, particularly the dextrose will do that.

Try using a kilo of DME or liquid malt instead and drop the volume back to 20l, that'll give it a bit more body.

Cheers

 

[Econwatson]

The "thin-ness" you describe is often referred to as "body".

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter20-1.html Here's a link to what is basically The Bible of homebrewers. Have a look through it.

The link I sent you is for a section on body. Maybe it will offer some help!

 

[indica86]

Even a basic Cooper's pack with Cooper's BE2 will have more body than a Toohey's can.